If EU wants to help ending political polarization in Georgia, then it should grant candidacy – PM to Borrell

If you really want Georgia to become a member of the European family, to get even closer, then our position is as follows – Georgia should get candidate status by the end of the year, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili told EU High Commissioner Josep Borrel in a joint press conference in Tbilisi. 

 

He claimed “In response to our significant progress”, Tbilisi expected a poistice decision by the  European Council this December, despite Borrell’s indications to unfulfilled conditions outlined by the bloc last year for granting the status. 

 

In his comments, the PM also accused the European Parliament and the “radical wing” of the domestic opposition of hampering the country’s obtaining the status in June 2022, when the bloc granted its full candidacy to Ukraine and Moldova, while Georgia received a European perspective alone. 

 

Responding to Borrell’s remarks that announced impeachment procedures against President Salome Zourabichvili for visiting the EU this month without the Government’s consent that could further strengthen political polarization, Garibashvili responded it “was not a political issue”. 

 

“We respect and protect the constitution of our country, we were obliged to give a formal response, the Government should set an example of protecting the constitution and respecting it”, he said. 

 

Following the EU official’s criticism to Tbilisi’s consent of resumed Russia-Georgia direct flights earlier this year and “not a very good” compliance with the bloc’s “joint approach” to priority foreign policy issues, Garibashvili pointed to Georgia’s lack of any security umbrella and  “complicated” geopolitical circumstances. 

 

He stressed despite allegations, “no evidence” had been provided so far about the use of the territory or Georgia or its financial institutions by Russia to evade international sanctions imposed on it for invading Ukraine last year, adding “ no sanctioned companies or aircraft” had been allowed into the country.